Hope Caves
by coffeegirl1321
Summary: Vienna, a Soul who has inhabited a revolting human, they soon become close. After nine months of silence Anne, her host, shows her a book about deserts with directions to a secret place of place of safety and hope. Vienna is nothing like the other Souls she's almost like a human. Vienna find this place and is enchanted by two people and cannot deny her emotions towards them.
1. Chapter 1: Goodbye

**Chapter One: Goodbye (Vienna's Point of View)**

_ Running, panting, fear running through her veins…__my__ veins. They chased her… The Seekers, running after her, screaming after her. "Anne! Anne! Don't get hurt," they'd said. But she kept running until she hit a fence too tall for her to climb. She was stuck and she was weakened by starvation and thirst. They caught her. She did her best to fight them, but before she knew it she was stabbed with a needle and everything fell to blackness._

I jolted from sleep dripping in cold sweat and my mouth dry. This happened every night. Her memories would replay over and over. She wasn't a strong human, she knew I wouldn't harm her or get her harmed, so she gave in except replaying the memories. The day before her voice faded she'd said _I'm only replaying these memories, because I'm human, __your__ body is human. You must remember that and I trust you unlike the other two Souls who have claimed my body. You are as close to a human as any alien can get. Remember this body is human. _ Those were the last words she'd said to me. Sometimes I can still feel her presence, like when I draw or paint. She'll send signals on how to move my hand to give the picture a certain effect other than that she'd locked up almost dead, I had never forced her to do that. She'd chosen it.

Sometimes even though I know she is basically dead, which is sad, I speak to her through my thoughts. I call her by her name Anne. She had given me a name before she left. She told me she had wanted to name her future daughter this name. That's why my name is Vienna, like the city in Austria. Anne was of Austrian decent and I have her body now. I've grown to love the features of my new body, my dark chocolate brown eyes, my olive toned skin, my long odd wavy almost black hair, my full heart shaped lips, my bushy eyebrows, and my broad and sturdy build that somehow also looked so delicate and feminine.

I moved my hair from my face and wiped my face with the rag I kept on my night stand every night. Lately Anne has been showing me different memories, memories she had kept locked before. Recently I had been feeling trapped and suffocated by having to be so much like others. I read books about human and how they acted differently from Souls like me. I loved how different they were from each other, in looks, in opinions, in likes and dislikes, and in ultimately everything!

_ Desert, my mother gave me a book on the desert it's in the living room! Grab it! Get it now! If you are truly tired of this grab it! _Anne yelled at me for the first time in nine months. I ran to the living room and grabbed it. She showed me an image of one of the pages in the middle of the book, page 137 with an index card with directions to somewhere new to somewhere with hope and happiness. _Go! Go now! _Anne screamed.

I was ready for where ever she was sending me. After nine months of solitude and silence if she said something that meant I must do it. Anne knew me more than I do. Hurriedly I grabbed the biggest backpack I own, which was fairly big, and filled the bottom with bottle and bottles upon bottles of water. I then filled it with granola bars, raisins, beef jerky and other things that wouldn't expire. I grabbed things from my giant medicine closet. Twelve months ago my Healer Blue Seas gave all the supplies I could ever need, because my host would do anything to get the Soul out of her body. One time in the first few months she made me stab myself in my stomach and then my arm. Thankfully I had what I needed to heal myself.

I took everything from the cabinet and threw it in my bag. Then I grabbed clothes. I grabbed three t-shirts, underwear two extra bras, a two pairs of shorts, one pair of sweatpants, and extra socks. I threw my pajamas in the bag too. I pulled another t-shirt over my head, pulled on a pair of jeans, then put on socks and a good sturdy pair of sneakers. My backpack was completely full so I slipped the index card into my bra and through my hair into a ponytail, then grabbed my flash light.

It took me a half hour walking to find where I had to go first in order to make it to the first stop. It was freezing but it was better to walk now than at midday. I was lucky my host's home was already close to where she was sending me. It took me a day and a half of painstaking walking to make it to the first check point. There I rested for twelve hours. I hid in a small broken and filthy shed and ate and drank and slept. When the sun set again I started walking again. I could here wild animals hunting. I acted like I had no fear even though I was horrified. I knew if I acted fearless they wouldn't touch me. When I got to the second checkpoint it had been a week since I had left. I was starting to think I was going crazy and Anne was trying to kill me. _I promise you I'm not trying to kill you. Keep going! Just keep going! _She yelled and I kept moving.

As I walked for the next three days I compared myself to Anne. She had always been shy, sweet, and gentle. She was geeky in middle school. She had one friend her entire life until her friend became inhabited by Soul and got her caught. I was like her in the friendship area except I had no friends. I'm blunt, loud, tough, and talkative, but also sweet, caring, nurturing and most of all worrisome. Anne liked math and science and logical things. I like art, dancing, dreaming, and hoping. She and I are very different except the body that we share.

When I reached the third checkpoint I could feel Anne fading from me. It made me angry and upset and depressed. Anne was my friend, my best friend. I didn't really like the Souls I've met. They're all the same, nice and polite, and most of all boring.

_Don't leave. Please. Just don't leave_, I begged her.

_You don't need me anymore Vienna you're at the final check point. I have to leave now. Burn the directions so no other Soul can find it. They'll destroy you and if there's others they'll destroy you too. Goodbye Vienna. I'm glad you're the Soul in my body. If it was anyone else they'd be dead_, she said. A small smile filled my face.

_Goodbye Anne. I'll miss you_, I thought.

_Tell the others about me. Promise?_ She asked.

_I promise_, I thought smiling and she was gone. Completely and utterly gone. I felt empty. It was only me in this body. Anne is gone.


	2. Chapter 2: Hope

**Chapter Two: Hope (Vienna's Point of View)**

I turned to see the final landmark, but nothing else, no other life forms, no Souls…no humans. Anne had left me entirely alone deserted in the middle of nowhere, so I sat. I pulled out my last granola bar and my last bottle of water. At this point I knew, as Anne would say, I was screwed. I sat there till night came, my muscles, bones, and joints aching, my head pounding, my mouth rough like sandpaper, and my eyes were becoming fuzzy and were have a hard time focusing.

Suddenly I saw a small, but bright light. I could hear three pairs of steady footsteps crunching the dirt. Soon I could see the outline of three men. I knew they were men by the shape of their bodies. One was very tall and well built, another was a bit shorter than first but just as sturdy, the last was as tall as the first but lean and slender. The light flooded my eyes and I squinted at the harsh light.

"Jamie, back up," said a smooth alto type voice that came from the second male.

"Jared does she look like she could do any harm at all? Seriously dude?" said the third guy who was tall and slender.

"You're here! Anne was right! The checkpoints worked!" I said excitedly. Maybe there is hope, I thought.

"Melanie!" the second guy called, "Bring Wanda." I heard two more footsteps one was steady and the other was soft and quick. I saw an exchange of the flashlight handed to one of the new humans.

"I'm Wanda. Don't be frightened. I'm like you," said a gentle quiet voice. Light flooded on a round fragile face with golden freckles, light feathery blonde hair, pale pink lips and grey eyes and the shimmering silver ring of a Soul. I gasped. So it is possible for a Soul to live with humans.

"Wait a minute!" said a girl with dark long hair and hazel eyes who was much taller than Wanda, the Soul. I looked at her nervously. "You're said your host was Anne right?" the dark haired girl asked me.

"Yes, she has been quiet in my mind for nine months, until a week ago when she showed me the directions here. I was miserable living with the Souls. She left me today… for good," I said tears prickling my eyes.

"Is it possible for a Soul not to fit in among Souls?" asked the second guy who was now holding the dark haired girls hand.

"Excuse me!" Wanda said a bit offended.

"Hahaha, right my bad Wanda," the guy smiled. "Is anyone with you?" he asked.

"No, my Seeker left me six months ago and I've been free ever since and I have no friends who will try and find me," I told them like Anne had told me to before she had left, because it was true. The guy pointed the light on his face. He had light brown hair with spots of golden blonde most likely from the sun. His eyes were brown with flecks of gold, and his skin was golden brown.

"I'm Jared," he grinned.

"So Anne…" started the dark haired girl pointing the flashlight on me.

"I'm not Anne she gave me a name before she left. I couldn't find a name I liked so she gave me one," I said.

"Was her name Anne Becks?" she asked and I nodded yes. "I used to baby sit her before I moved with my family when my brother was eight and she was seven. He was my brother's 'best friend'," Melanie giggled. "So what did she name you?" the dark haired girl smiled.

"Vienna," I smiled at memory when Anne gave me that name.

"Hello Vienna. I'm Melanie, you've met my boyfriend and the Soul who was once in my body, Wanda. Now meet her boyfriend Ian and my seventeen year old brother, Jamie, and Anne's best friend" Melanie grinned, she shown the light on the two boys to her left. The tall lean one was obviously Melanie's brother. They had the same tall slender build, dark hair, and nose. Jamie's eyes were a dark brown with flecks of light brown and gold. Ian was the tallest of all the guys with black hair, sapphire blue eyes, and lots of muscles. Wanda moved to hold his hand and smile up at him.

"It's nice to meet you Vienna," Ian smiled. Jamie was silent his eyes were warm an welcoming.

"Let me take your bag," Jamie finally said and grabbed my hand and helped me up. I gave him my pack with a small smile.

"I brought a bunch of medicine from my house. My Healer stocked it up for when Anne tried to kill me every hour the first three months. It was easier just to have the medicine in my house," I told them. All of their eyes grew wide with fear. "Thankfully she stopped when she realized I thought Souls' were too peaceful," I smiled. "But I think Wanda isn't like other Souls," I said.

"She sure isn't," Ian said looking at her adoringly.

"Doc will be thrilled to have more medicine," Wanda said delighted. Suddenly Jamie dropped my hand and I did everything not to frown. I felt… rejected. I followed Jared and Melanie through the desert. Jamie walked beside me his hand brushing mine every few seconds and Ian and Wanda walked behind us.

I felt on edge. How were they able to be so kind to me? Their world was being taken over by mine and Wanda's kind. It didn't make sense the way Ian acted toward Wanda, how they held hands and how their eyes met.

Jamie threw my bag over his shoulder and covered my eyes with his hands. It must have been a protocol or something. There had to be rules to keep these stray surviving humans safe. I think I was more scared than I was excited. I was terrified of what I was going to do without Anne and her guidance, I was scared of these humans and more that were most likely waiting, I was scared of Jamie's touch it sent chills and fire through me. Something made me feel like I knew him, but I didn't know what.

Finally after an hour of walking I felt the ground decline steeply and the air change. It was still hot but not as hot and it was thick with water in the air. Jamie removed his hands from my face and held my hand. He guided me tunnel after tunnel. It was so confusing yet it all made sense.

"I'll take her to Doc," Wanda said taking my hand replacing Jamie's. Moonlight shown in from a hole in the rock ceiling. I could see Jamie's face tightening as she said those words.

"What's going on? Why are you taking me to this man Doc?" I asked panicked.

"You'll be fine. We're going to send…" Wanda was saying before she was interrupted.

"No!" Jamie's voice boomed.

"But Jamie," Jared started.

"I said no!" Jamie bellowed.

"Jamie, we have to see if Anne is still in there," Jared said.

"Jared stop," Melanie spoke softly.

"We have to find out if she's still in there!" Jared yelled.

"I said no god damn it!" Jamie yelled knocking Wanda's hand out of mine. He grabbed my hand and began pulling me he was running as fast as he could and I struggled to keep up. I was confused, but somehow I trusted Jamie. I pushed myself to keep running until he skidded to a halt at a blue curtain inside a door. He pushed it out of the way and pulled me into the room. The room held two twin beds and a milk crate full of notebooks and pens. The rock was the same purple color as the rock in the tunnels. There was a bigger hole in the ceiling that allowed more moonlight to flood the room.

Jamie still held my hand as he bent over trying to catch his breath. My knees began to buckle from the strain of so much running. My shirt was soaked with sweat and I could barely breathe. Jamie caught me before my knees could slam onto the rough rock ground.

"I'm not going to let them hurt you," he whispered to me.

"Why not? I am a Soul after all," I said my breathing unsteady.

"Because I just can't," he answered me his chest heaving trying to get more oxygen to fill his lungs.

"What were they going to do?" I asked looking up into his dark brown eyes.

"They were going to take you out of this body and send you to another planet," he said his eyes scared.

"I don't want to leave. Why would I come here if I wanted to leave? I want to be somewhere I'm not completely different. I don't want to die," I told him about to crumble.

"The only person I've ever known is gone! She left completely stranded and alone with no guidance no advice. She's gone! Anne is gone! What am I without her? Am I just some evil alien that's invaded your planet?" I asked not expecting and answer.

"No. You're who you said you were. You're Vienna and I'm Jamie," he said

"You should probably take me to Doc," I said quietly.

"No!" he yelled.

"Why not?" I asked him confused why he wanted me to stay.

"I don't know… I just know…I can't let it happen," he said his eyes serious and focused on me. "I want you to stay. That's all I know," he whispered like he was finally admitting it to himself he said pulling me against his chest sending chills and fire through me again.

"Why did you grab me and run?" I asked him confused and curious.

"It might be because I see hope in certain Souls," he started but was interrupted.

"It's true," said the strong confident voice of his sister, Melanie. "He knew Wanda was no harm to him and the others and to my body whom Wanda was occupying at the type," she smiled her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled. "It's like a sixth sense," she grinned proudly.

"When Kyle brought home Sunny he knew she was no harm to us either," Melanie stated with pride, it was clear in her face and body. Her stance was open and there was light in her eyes, that's how I could tell she was really smiling. I looked at Jamie who was still hugging me. We both blushed and he let me go.

"There's another Soul?" I asked hopeful with curiosity filling my brain.

"Yes, she's not the brightest tool in the shed but she's very sweet," Melanie smiled.

"She likes to cook for everyone. Wanda like to tell us stories of other planets she's lived on," Jamie said looking at me strangely. It wasn't strange in a bad I just simply didn't understand his gaze.

"How many planets has she lived on?" I asked my voice getting higher with excitement.

"Nine," Melanie and Jamie answered simultaneously.

"Really!Me too," grinned. "I wonder if we were ever on the same planet at the same time," I said bursting with excitement. Both of their jaws have dropped forming o's with their mouths. "What?" I asked becoming a bit weary. The said nothing they just looked at each other then back me closing their mouths in the process.

"I wonder if everyone will be okay with another soul joining us," Melanie said quietly.

"They have to," Jamie said sternly.

"I heard we got ourselves another guest!" said a man with wiry white beard, faded blue eyes, and a large grin. The man entered the room and held out his hand for me to shake it. I took it and smiled.

"I'm Vienna," I told the friendly stranger.

"I'm Jeb. I own the place," he grinned largely. "First we have to find you a place to sleep…" he said trailing off.

"She can stay here with me," Jamie said quickly his eyes glittering.

"_Hell _no!" Melanie yelled.

"Mel do you honestly think Jamie of all people will do anything like that?" Jeb asked Melanie. I didn't understand what they were talking about. I saw Jamie's ears and neck turning bright red. My stomach growled loudly the sound filling the cave, from having no food for about eighteen hours now and the last thing I ate was a granola bar the size of my pinkie.

"Well we better get this girl some food before she gives us away," Jeb said jokingly with a hefty laugh.

"Come on," Jamie said with a brilliant smile.


End file.
